A system and method for connecting a processing device to a functional device connected to or in a base unit of a communications network, the base unit having a transmitter and the processing device having a memory, a display and an operating system. A first peripheral device is adapted to be coupled to the processing device via a generic communications protocol, the first peripheral device having a receiver and at least one fixed or configurable endpoint of the functional device exposed on the first peripheral device. The base unit and the first peripheral device is adapted to transmit and receive data respectively over the communications network from the functional device to the processing device via the at least one fixed or configurable endpoint using the generic communications protocol for communication between the processing device and the first peripheral device.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein to mimic the functional device at the one or more first peripheral devices, in software or hardware or both consists of interpreting, processing and/or translating electronic signals coming from the functional device at the one or more first peripheral devices, in software or hardware or both as a corresponding functional device.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a first peripheral device of the one or more peripheral devices is used to set up a wireless or a wired connection between the first peripheral device and the base unit.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein whatever functional device is connected to or plugged into the base unit, the functional device is exposed to the one or more first peripheral devices.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the functional devices are exposed to the user's processing device either by the hardware of the one or more first peripheral devices directly, or by using a software virtual hub on the one or more first peripheral devices or on the user's processing device.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein different functional devices are connected to the same base unit.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein different functional devices are combined forming a combination of functional devices and exposing the combination to the one or more peripheral devices.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein echo cancellation, translation, and/or encoding, or decoding is provided in the base unit.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein functional devices are not exposed natively.
11. The system according to claim 10, wherein to mimic the functional device at the one or more first peripheral devices, in software or hardware or both consists of interpreting, processing and/or translating electronic signals coming from the functional device at the one or more first peripheral devices, in software or hardware or both as a corresponding functional device.
12. The system according to claim 10, wherein a first peripheral device of the one or more peripheral devices is configured to set up a wireless or a wired connection between the first peripheral device and the base unit.
13. The system according to claim 10, wherein whatever functional device is connected to or plugged into the base unit, the functional device is exposed to the one or more first peripheral devices.
14. The system according to claim 10, wherein the functional device is exposed to the user's processing device either by the hardware of the one or more first peripheral devices directly, or by using a software virtual hub on the one or more first peripheral devices or on the user's processing device.
15. The system according to claim 10, wherein different functional devices are connected to the same base unit.
16. The system according to claim 10, wherein different functional devices are combined forming a combination of functional devices and exposing the combination to the one or more peripheral devices.
17. The system according to claim 10, wherein echo cancellation, translation, and/or encoding, or decoding is provided in the base unit.
18. The system according to claim 10, wherein functional devices are not exposed natively.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
May 19, 2022
September 10, 2024
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